Love is Linked to Our Eternity:

When some religious leaders asked Jesus what they must do inherit eternal life, he answered this way: "That you love the Lord your God will all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence- and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself." (Luke 10:27 MSG)

You are Never to Young to Demonstrate Godly Love:

1 Timothy 4: 12 encourages and challenges young people to demonstrate Godly Love and Purity: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example in Speech, in Life, in Love, in Faith, and in Purity."

You can be young and still think clearly and use wisdom when making decisions about love.

Jesus Shows Us How:

John 15: 12-13 "My command is this, love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

He is not just talking about death. He is talking about a love that proves itself throughout life, a continual, daily laying down of one's life for others. What selfish desire are you willing to lay down to express love to someone else? This proves you care more for them, that you consider their needs and their holiness over your selfishness. In a dating relationship that means elevating purity over selfish pleasure, and elevating compassion over dominance. With our family that means sacrificing "getting even" for forgiveness, and laziness to contribute to the family needs. With strangers this means sacrificing popularity or status to show love and compassion to someone sitting alone at school. It goes on and on.

Questions:

Of all the characteristics of love listed in 1 Corinthians 13, which do you think are the hardest ones to live out?

Do you think it is possible for us in this life to have a love that never fails? Why or why not? How do we cultivate this kind of love in our lives?

Why do you think that we tend to want to rush love?

What are some ways you could improve how you "lay down your life" for others?